I was just wondering what happens to semen after it has been ejaculated
into a woman's vagina. Does it just stay there until it dies, or does it
seep out? If it stays in, what happens to it once it dies?

Thanks,
Prude and Wondering

Dear Prude and Wondering,

Semen (the fluid that carries sperm), if ejaculated into the vagina, could
either travel farther into the vagina, or seep out and eventually dry up,
or both. Semen that remains in the body will carry sperm that can survive
for approximately three to five days.

When semen evaporates in the open air, the sperm it contains
die. Some women use mini-pads advertised for "light day periods" when
they are out, and about, to help absorb the semen that seeps from the
vagina.

P.S.: Alice has researched long and hard to find out the exact or
approximate amount of time (i.e., seconds, minutes, hours) it takes for
semen to dry up once outside the body, thereby ensuring sperm are also
dead. The exact time is not available since it depends on many factors,
such as the surrounding environment (i.e., humidity, temperature), body
temperature, consistency (if semen is spread thickly or thinly on the
skin), and location (where the semen is on the body).